Why Zamfara’s Gwalli district suffers renewed attacks
In the past five months, tension has heightened in Gwalli district in Gummi Local Government Area of Zamfara State following renewed attacks on some communities in the district. The latest of these attacks was in Babban Rafi village last Wednesday, leaving at least fourteen people dead. Gwalli district has witnessed two major attacks from November last year to date.
In November last year, more than 20 people were killed in an attack on Karaye community in the district after motorbike riding gang of armed men stormed the community firing at residents.
In last Wednesday’s attack, the armed men believed to have come from the neighbouring , stormed Babban Rafi village and prevented people from going out for several hours.
A resident of Barikin Daji village, Kabir Isah, told Daily Trust Saturday that the armed men arrived the village on about 43 motorbikes around 9am.
“When they laid siege on the village, the gunmen asked residents to stay indoors. They started going from house to house collecting mobile phones, money and other valuables. They told the residents that they were heading to Babban Rafi village on Jihad mission.
“Unknown to them, one of the residents escaped to forewarn the people of Babban Rafi that armed men were coming to attack the community. The timely information helped dozens of them to flee the village before the bandits arrived.
“They killed at least 13 people there and made away with herds of cattle and other domestic animals. They told the residents that they had come for Jihad and that any resistance would be very calamitous for the entire community,” he added.
The state commissioner of Security and Home Affairs, Alhaji Abubakar Dauran, told our correspondent that the attackers were believed to have come to Zamfara State from neighbouring states of Niger, Kaduna and Kebbi.
“You know Gummi local government area has an expansive forest sharing boundaries with these states. But our peace deal is intact.
“We had a meeting with the repentant bandits last Thursday and we craved their indulgence in monitoring who and who is coming into or going out of Zamfara State. And at the state level, we are planning to create a synergy with other states to checkmate cross border activities of these criminals,” Dauran added.
An official in the security circle of the state affirmed what Dauran had said. “These hoodlums crossed from Kebbi, probably on the invitation of those in Zamfara State who felt they were offended in one way or the other.
“You know when they come on what they call vengeance mission, they won’t differentiate between bad and good and that is their modus operandi. They kill people en mass, steal cows and then flee,” he said.
Another government official told Daily Trust Saturday that the renewed attacks might not be unconnected to a dispute over land between the Fulani, largely seen as settlers in the district, and the farmers.
An altercation between herders and farmers over land had in September last year caused a stir in some communities in Gwalli district, Daily Trust Saturday gathered.
A source familiar with the crisis told Daily Trust that some herders believed to have migrated from either Shinkafi or Birnin Magaji local government areas of the state during the administration of former Governor Abdulaziz
Yari decided to settle in an area west of Gwalli community in Gummi local government area of the state.
“The Abdulaziz Yari-led government wrote a letter to Gummi emirate council, Gummi local government and local security chiefs ordering the herders to leave the area on the suspicion that they could be criminals.
“When the herders initially settled in the area, they purchased lands and some other property through the local chiefs in the area. They settled and starting working on the lands they purchased and suddenly there was an order by the authorities for them to leave the area.
“On the premise of the order, some unscrupulous elements decided to take advantage of the situation and confiscated their land and other property. They drove the herders away and took over their lands.
“Unknown to the authorities, the herders who reportedly migrated to neighbouring Kebbi State planned to avenge the treatment meted out on them,” the source added.
When the herders arrived at the communities, people out of apprehension fled their homes. “You know in a situation like this, the herders wouldn’t bother to make distinction between those who offended them and those who did not. That was why when the people saw them, they fled.
“So, they came back to the communities on a revenge mission and it coincided with the time Governor Bello Matawalle’s administration had struck a peace deal between herders and farmers in the state and you know authorities would not relax and watch any one causing trouble after the peace deal, that is why they quickly intervened to de-escalate tension.
However, the spokesman of the state police command, SP Muhammad Shehu, said the state commissioner of police Mr. Usman Nagogo had held series of reconciliatory meetings with warring parties. And he would continue to do that until all issues are resolved.
“If you can remember, the commissioner led other officers to the palace of Emir of Gummi, Alhaji Hassan Lawal, to consolidate on their earlier peace building processes.
“The reason for the assembly was to address the existing rivalry/dispute through peace dialogue and reconciliation so as to avoid unwarranted loss of life and property,” Shehu said.
He said the state police boss Usman Nagogo who presided over the meeting called on the two warring parties to voice out their grievances in order to address them once and for all. He enjoined them to respect the resolutions reached during the meeting by accepting the peace truce and also avoid acts that could lead to break down of law and order in Gummi and Zamfara in general.
He said Nagogo assured them that the ongoing peace initiative was being carried out with all sense of sincerity and justice to all the parties. He thanked the Emir for his continued support and cooperation to the peace initiative.
However, a source told our correspondent that the herders were asked to compile the property they lost to the crisis for compensation by the authorities, adding that it was part of the resolutions reached at the peace building meeting.